Top 10 Bodybuilders of All-Time

Who are the top bodybuilders of all-time? Every generation has big names with amazing physiques and massive amounts of muscle. With so many to choose from who will make the cut?

#1 - Arnold Schwarzenegger

It's hard not to place

#2 - Ronnie Coleman

Ronnie Coleman was not only one of the most massive bodybuilders of all-time (300 pounds stage weight) but also one of the strongest. With an 800+ pound squat and deadlift it's scary to think that to this day Ronnie claims he didn't train as hard as he could have.

#3 - Lee Haney

With a record tying 8 Mr. Olympia titles (1984-1991) Haney was successfully able to retire at the extremely young age of 31 and foster a career outside of bodybuilding.

To this day Haney works in the fields of sports training and nutrition training athletes in the NBA, MLB, and professional boxing. Today, at the age of 55, Lee Haney still maintains a physique that would make younger bodybuilders envious.

#4 - Dorian Yates

What makes Dorian Yates one of the top bodybuilders of all-time is not only his 6 Mr. Olympia titles (1992-1997) but also his unique style of training. While several professional bodybuilders train six days a week, Dorian was known for his development of "High Intensity Training" which achieved maximum muscle stimulation with shorter intense workouts four days per week.

In addition he was also known for bringing his shredded glutes and hamstrings to the stage before anyone else.

#5 - Phil Heath

Better known as "the Gift," Phil Heath is the current reigning 5 time Mr. Olympia (2011-2015). With a career that does not appear to be ending in the near future, Phil may very well climb to the top of these rankings over the next several years.

#6 - Frank Zane

When most people think of aesthetic symmetrical physiques the first name that comes to the mind of most people is Frank Zane. With 3 Mr. Olympia titles (1977-1979) and a vacuum that sets the standard to this day, Zane has the body that every single bodybuilder hopes to one day emulate.

Unlike several of the other bodybuilders on this list, Zane is the lightest of them all stepping in at a lighter 185 pounds on stage. Zane represented an era based on aesthetics with wide shoulders and an extremely shaped v-taper waist.

#7 - Jay Cutler

Not to be confused with the professional NFL player with the same name, Jay Cutler is a 4 Time Mr. Olympia champion (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010). Representing one of the modern day mass builders Cutler weighed in at a strong 275 pounds on stage.

#8 - Franco Columbu

Known by some as Arnold's smaller lighter training partner, Columbu was known for both his aesthetics and pushing Arnold to his absolute limits. With 2 overall Mr. Olympia titles (1976 and 1981) Columbu was known for his aesthetic and symmetrical physique.

Not only was Columbu Arnold's favorite training partner but was also a world champion powerlifter, World's Strongest Man competitor, and actor. A little known fact about Columbu was that he played a brief role in the original Terminator movie that made Arnold famous.

#9 - Dexter Jackson

Epitomizing the symbol of father time, Dexter Jackson never seems to age. Former Mr. Olympia champ of 2008, most recently Jackson placed 2nd overall in the 2015 Mr. Olympia contest at the seasoned age of nearly 46 years old.

Nicknamed "The Blade" Dexter is known for his low-body fat percentage and seemingly timeless physique. Having competed in every single Mr. Olympia contest since 1999, Jackson has graced the cover of countless bodybuilding magazines and articles.

Jackson has also won the Arnold classic a record setting 5 times establishing his presence as one of the top bodybuilders of this generation.

#10 - Flex Wheeler

Though he is the only professional bodybuilder on our list to never win the Mr. Olympia title, that does not diminish his overall career success. Having won the Arnold classic 4 times there is no denying his presence among the list of the greatest.

Furthermore, Flex Wheeler has been described by both Arnold and Ronnie as one of the greatest bodybuilders of all-time. Known for his symmetrical aesthetics he is commonly known as the Sultan of Symmetry. Contrary to popular belief the nickname "Flex" comes from his remarkable flexibility not flexion of his muscles.

Who is in Your Top 10?

Every generation has had it's fair share of great bodybuilders with amazing physiques. Focus has shifted from mass to aesthetics and back to mass. However, the one consistent factor over time has been the lean, aesthetic physiques and constant striving for improvement of the human body.

Feel free to give your own opinion of the top 10 bodybuilders of all-time!

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Fitness was not always my first passion growing up. While most of the guys in the gym likely had backgrounds in sports such as football and baseball, I on the other hand spent most of my childhood playing Sega Genesis and watching Nascar. I always thought of gym guys as meatheads and never thought of myself as potentially even having a six pack.

Throughout high school I was not a fan of the weight room, with the exception of occasional sets of bicep curls supersetted with additional bicep curls. After high school I attended the beautiful University of California, Santa Barbara, where most of my time was consumed with the number one American college sport, beer pong followed by monster burrito late night meals at 3:00am. Unfortunately, the days of heavy beer consumption and a mediocre diet left me at 240 pounds and 33% bodyfat at the age of 19.

Over the next several years I experimented with different cardio intensive exercise routines that resulted in a yo-yo diet effect. I was either overweight, skinny fat, or somewhere in between. Finally, after graduating with my degree in Business Economics and Accounting I began my career working as a Contract Analyst. My transition into the sedentary office life once again left my pants just a bit too tight after consuming a few too many free morning donuts.

I decided it was time to make a change and joined a local gym. After seeing beginner gains for the first few months, I began feeling frustrated that I would never be able to fully achieve my full potential. My strength was increasing, but due to my lack of diet knowledge my physique still did not live up to expectations until 2013.

At this point in time I finally decided to track my calories and to slim down to single digit bodyfat. I finally began seeing results I had always longed for. I have never looked back and continue making gains up to this very day. I pride myself in helping others achieve their weight loss and fitness goals through knowledge I have gained through various methods of trial and error.

Some of my short term fitness goals include reaching a 300lb bench, 405 lb squat, and a 500 lb deadlift. Long term I want to become more involved in the fitness industry and help others achieve their goals, which to me is the greatest award that no money can buy.

For me, the bodybuilding lifestyle is not about how much you can lift or even how you look, its simply about being the best version of yourself (as cliche as that may seem). Furthermore, I am a strong believer that the strength, dedication, and motivation in the gym translates to successes in other areas of life such as career, relationships, and family life. Fitness is more than just a past time, for me it is a way of life.

* Tiger Fitness does not imply any medical advice in this article. There are no guarantees of specific results and results may vary. Please consult your family Dr. before starting any diet or training program.